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E. A. 'MGALPIN. Method. of Sealing Packages.

No. 228,368. Patented June 1,1880.

Zl/ilhess es:

N.PETER8, PHOTO-LITNOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON, o C.

llNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN A. MGA'LPIN, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF SEALING PACKAGES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 228,368, dated, June 1,1880.

Application filed January 31, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. MGALPIN, of the city and State of New York,have invented a new and Improved Mode of Sealing Packages of Tobacco, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the sealing of the wrapper or envelopeused on packages of tobacco and similar articles, the object being tosecure the wrapping in such manner as to guard against the package beingopened before it reaches the hands of the consumer.

As is well known, the material most commonly used as a wrapper for thefiner grades of smoking and chewing tobacco is tin-foil. The nature ofthis is such that it cannot be effectually and readily sealed by theordinary modes of sealing paper wrappers, and consequently the usualpractice adopted is sim; ply to fold up the ends of the wrapper closely,the natural rigidity of the material being relied upon to hold the foldsin place. This, however, leaves the package in such condition that anyperson through whose hands it passes on its way to the consumer canreadily, if he be so disposed, open it, change its contents, and refoldthe wrapper, so that it will show no signs of having been tampered with.This affords an easy means of fraud by enabling persons to sell as thegenuine product of a manufacturer of established reputation a spuriousand inferior article, to the detriment both of such manufacturer and ofthe consumer; also, when the wrapper is thus insecurely fastened, it isliable to be come partially opened in the ordinary handling of thepackage in the course of trade, and the consequent exposure of thecontents to the action of the air injures them, and not infrequently aportion of the contents is lost.

By the present invention this defect in the present mode of putting uptobacco is entirely obviated.

It consists in folding over the ends of the wrapper sufficiently toprotect the contents of the package, and then securing the folds in therelative position thus attained by means of a rivet, preferably of theeyelet form. By passing the rivet entirely through the folds of thewrapper and heading it down securely upon each side of the folds it willbe rendered impossible to open the package, either accidentally ordesignedly, so as to permit the contents to be tampered with, or toexpose them to the air, without tearing the wrapper.

In carrying out the invention various methods of folding the wrapper maybe adopted. It is only necessary that the folds be made in such mannerthat when the rivetis inserted it will hold them together securely, soas to accomplish the object above stated.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is fully illustrated.

Figures 1, 3, and 5 show three different modes of folding the end of thewrapper before the rivet is introduced. The end not shown should besecured in a corresponding manner. Any one of these modes willeffectually secure the wrapper, so that if opened before it reaches theconsumer it will be impossible to restore it to its normal condition andappearance. Figs. 2, 4, and 6 show the complete folding of the wrapperafter the insertion of the rivet.

I am aware that prior to the present inven- 'tion it has been proposedto close the end of a sample-box by means of a metal clip passed throughthe folds of such end; but the package was not thereby secured againstopening by an unauthorized person. as the mode of using the clip, andthe very object in using it, was such as to give facility for openingand closing the package at pleasure.

I am also aware that prior to the present invention it has been proposedto use rivets of the eyelet form to secure the flaps of fiat envelopes,such rivets beingpassed through the flaps and the body of the envelope;but the present invention differs therefrom in that the rivets as nowused are passed through the folded ends of the envelope or wrapper, and

do not enter the body of the same. As a consequence, the entire interiorspace of the wrapper is available for the reception of the tobacco, anda package can readily be formed which, instead of being flat and thin,

selves and insertingapermanentrivet through such folded ends,substantially as and for the purpose described.

like an ordinary letter-envelope, will be of a thick, W6ll-d6fil16d,rectangular, and prismatic form.

What is claimed as new is EDWIN A. MOALPIN. 5 The hereinbefore-describedmode of seal- Witnesses:

ing packages of tobacco, which consists in fold- BENJ. A. SMITH, ing theends of the Wrapper over upon them- ROBERT H. DUNCAN.

